From an anonymous bloke on the block bustling with talent to one of Hollywood’s leading men, with magnetic performances to show, Oscar winning British actor Daniel Kaluuya’s rise to super stardom is definitely no mistake!
Within just a few years, the talented act’s career in the entertainment world has witnessed an explosive rise in the spotlight impressing critics and the general audience as well, earning well deserved awards and accolades.
Born in London to Ugandan parents but singlehandedly raised by his mom as he didn’t have any contact with his dad till age 15, British actor Kaluuya began his acting career as a teenager in improvisational theatre in the mid 2000s. He landed his first appearance in the BBC film “Shoot the Messenger” (2006) which was followed with a recurring role as Posh Kenneth on the teen drama “Skins” (2007-2013). He also co-wrote some of the episodes. His brilliant performance on Skins led to the opening of more doors, producers began calling and soon enough it ushered in many TV appearances including guest spots on “Doctor Who.” His career began to reach a whole new dimension.
In 2013, Kaluuya gained further critical acclaim after portraying Black Death in the 2013 superhero hit film Kick-Ass 2. Two years later in 2015, the actor landed a supporting role in Denis Villeneuve’s Crime thriller film Sicario. However 2017 would prove really instrumental to Daniel’s acting career, automatically skyrocketing him to limelight, many thanks to Jordan Peele’s popular horror film Get Out. The box office hit earned rave reviews with Kaluuya recording his career breakthrough and landing a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Daniel Kaluuya has since established himself as a force in the movie world with roles in mega hits such as Ryan Coogler’s superhero – Black Panther (2018), Steve McQueen’s – Widows (2018), Melina Matsoukas’s romantic road crime film Queen & Slim (2019) and Judas and the Black Messiah (2021).
For his portrayal of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah he won the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Critics’ Choice Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
